Hemerocallis Plant Named &#39;VER00329&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Hemerocallis plant named ‘VER00329’ that is characterized by its flowers that are dark yellow in color, its long and continuous blooming habit; blooming from mid-June to mid-September in the Netherlands, its compact plant habit, and its deciduous growth habit (dormant in winter).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to European Community Plant VarietyOffice (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2021/0215 filed onFeb. 15, 2021, under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which isincorporated by reference herein.

Botanical classification: Hemerocallis hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘VER00329’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHemerocallis plant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Hemerocallis‘VER00329’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘VER00329’. ‘VER00329’ is a new cultivar of herbaceous daylily grown foruse in the landscape and as a container plant.

The new cultivar was developed through on on-going breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. The objectivesof the breeding program are to develop new cultivars of Hemerocalliswith long and continuous blooming habits combined with compact and clumpforming plant habits.

The new cultivar arose from crosses made in summer of 2005. Unnamed andunpatented proprietary female parents were pollinated with a mixture ofpollen collected from unnamed and unpatented proprietary male parentsand the resulting seeds from the crosses were pooled and sown forevaluation. ‘VER00329’ was selected as a single unique plant from theresulting seedlings in summer of 2007. The specific parents aretherefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in Noordwijk, The Netherlands in 2008 by the Inventor. Asexualpropagation by division has determined that the characteristics of thiscultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of ‘VER00329’. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘VER00329’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis.

-   -   1. ‘VER00329’ exhibits flowers that are dark yellow in color.    -   2. ‘VER00329’ exhibits a long and continuous blooming habit;        blooming from mid-June to mid-September in the Netherlands.    -   3. ‘VER00329’ exhibits a compact plant habit.    -   4. ‘VER00329’ exhibits a deciduous growth habit (dormant in        winter).

The new cultivar can be most closely compared to Hemerocallis cultivars‘Stella d'Oro’ (not patented) and ‘Happy Returns’ (not patented).‘Stella d'Oro’ and ‘Happy Returns’ are both similar to ‘VER00329’ inhaving a dormant growth habit in winter, an extended flowering period,and flowers that are yellow in color. ‘Stella d'Oro’ differs from‘VER00329’ in having flowers that are lighter yellow in color, a tallerplant height, flowers are held closer to the foliage, and a lessfloriferous blooming habit (fewer flowering stems). ‘Happy Returns’differs from ‘VER00329’ in having flowers that are lighter yellow incolor, a taller plant height, a less floriferous blooming habit, andflowers that are larger in size.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include but are not limited topublications from European plant trials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of the new Hemerocallis. The photographs weretaken of a 12-month-old plant as grown in a conventional greenhouse withlightly chalked glass in a 17-cm container in Noordwijk, TheNetherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘VER00329’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a flower of‘VER00329’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘VER00329’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in thedetailed botanical description accurately describe the new Hemerocallis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 12-month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in a conventional greenhouse with lightly chalkedglass in 17-cm containers in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. The phenotypeof the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic,and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withthe 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   General characteristics:    -   -   Blooming period.—3 months, mid-June to mid-September in The            Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright with arching leaves, dormant            type, broadly spreading.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches an average of 31.7 cm in height            from soil level to top of foliar plane, 29.2 cm in height            from soil level to top of floral plane, and 45.3 cm in            spread.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fleshy with fibrous secondary roots.        -   Propagation type.—Division.        -   Root development.—About 16 weeks to produce a salable young            plant from a single fan division.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Decurrent.        -   Leaf apex.—Long acute with a mucronate outer tip.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, color upper surface; 143A, color            lower surface; NN137B.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment.—Decurrent, no petioles.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Basal rosette.        -   Leaf orientation.—Held upright to pendulant.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces glabrous, upper surface            moderately glossy, lower surface matte.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper surface; a blend of 144A and            144B, young leaves lower surface; 144A, mature leaves upper            surface; a blend of NN137A and 147A, covered with a thin            waxy layer of 189A, mature lower surface; 137A.        -   Leaf size.—Up to 35.5 cm in length, an average of 1 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 7 per rosette, 11 leaves per            shoot.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Scape bearing a panicle of single            flowers.        -   Inflorescence size.—8.6 cm (excluding peduncle), 9.9 cm in            diameter.        -   Lastingness of flowers.—Average of 1 day, self-cleaning.        -   Flower size.—An average of 7.5 cm in height, 7.1 cm in            diameter, 7.3 cm in depth, throat; 6 mm in diameter, tube;            1.9 cm in length, 6.5 mm in diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower number.—Average of 7 per inflorescence, 24 flower            buds per plant.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Flower type.—Campanulate, freely flowering.        -   Flower bud.—Narrow oblong in shape, average of 4.6 cm in            length and 1.1 cm in width, color 154B, base 144B to 144C,            tip 143A.        -   Petals (inner tepals).—3, obovate in shape, strongly            reflexed, average of 7.4 cm in length and 4 cm in width,            margins entire, moderately undulate and finely ruffled, apex            broadly retuse, base fused (lower 25.5%), color: upper            surface when opening and fully open; 13A, margins 13C, lower            surface when opening and fully open; 14C, margins 14D,            throat; 13A, flushed with 153D, veins 13B, tube; N144A.        -   Sepals (outer tepals).—3, rotate in arrangement, average of            7.2 cm in length, 2.6 cm in width, shape is obovate and            strongly reflexed, margins are entire, slightly to finely            undulate, base 26% fused, acute apex, upper surface texture            is smooth, glabrous, and matte, velvety in appearance, lower            surface texture is smooth, glabrous and very slightly            glossy, color: when opening and fully open upper surface;            13A, margins 13B, veins at base 144B, when opening and fully            open lower surface; 15A, margins 13B, veins at base 144B.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate in shape, average of 4.3 cm in length and            5.9 cm in diameter.        -   Peduncles.—Smooth and glabrous surface, round in shape,            average of 22 cm in length, 3 mm, diameter, held in an            average angle of 10°, strong in strength, color 137B,            covered with a thin waxy layer N138D.        -   Pedicels.—Smooth and glabrous surface, round in shape,            average of 3 mm in length, 2 mm in diameter, held in an            average angle of 35°, strong in strength, color 143A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, average of 6.9 cm in length, style;            6.85 cm in length, 13B in color, stigma; crested, 10D in            color, 0.05 mm in length and diameter, ovary; oblong in            shape, 144C in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 6, anthers; dorsifixed and narrow            oblong in shape, 4.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, 197A in            color; filament; 4.1 cm in length, 17B in color, pollen;            abundant in quantity and 17A in color.        -   Fruit/seeds.—None observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plantnamed ‘VER00329’ as herein illustrated and described.